Posts from March 2011

03/29/2011

It's amazing to me how one photograph can provide so much emotional energy. The desaturated colors, the linear phone lines, the lone tree and the seemingly endless horizon all imply the long journey we all are on, searching the vastness of our lives for something more, something meaningful. Our goals, our dreams, our visions all culminating just over the horizon.

It's not the medium or the oil or the price or whether it hangs on a wall or you eat it. What matters, what makes it art, is that the person who made it overcame the resistance, ignored the voice of doubt and made something worth making. Something risky. Something human.

Art is not in the eye of the beholder. It's in the soul of the artist.

03/23/2011

The plant never lapses into mere arid functionalism; it fashions and shapes according to logic and suitability, and with its primeval force compels everything to attain the highest artistic form.—Karl Blossfeldt

At first glance, what did you see? The view of the back of a sultry woman? Two "twin" towers? Iron scroll work?

The photographs taken by Karl Blossfeldt are a fascinatign display of form, function and beauty in the most oraganic of items. Having the "eye" to see the beauty in such simple form is a great gift.

03/16/2011

In general, I like the Foursquare serendipity a lot. I don't check in at my houses because I don't want to broadcast where I am overnight, although I will check into a hotel when I'm traveling just in case someone is around. And I've got Foursquare wired to Facebook so things show up in my feed. I recently wired up Tripit as well (and to LinkedIn) and that has resulted in some positive serendipity lately.

But yesterday's call spooked me. I didn't check in for the balance of the day. When I walked out of Japango, I was a little nervous about where I physically was for the first time I can remember while in Boulder. And I had a heightened awareness of my surroundings last night as I walked home.

I haven't sorted this out yet, but as an early adopter -- and a promiscuous one -- of location-based checkin -- I'm rethinking how I use this stuff and broadcast where I am.

Such is why I decoupled TripIt from LinkedIn, and never connected it to Facebook. Why do we insist on telling people, sometimes strangers, where we are located at different times of the day? Do we really need to "check in" with our friends and family all the time? I too can see the value of knowing if my travels are going to cross paths with an old friend or colleague. But really, do all my LinkedIn connections need to know that I am traveling to Walla Walla next week on a personal trip (I'm not, by the way) or going to eat at Big Mama's Chicken Shack tonight (not doing that either)? The narcissism of this is apparent. "Look at me! Look where I am!" The dangers that it enables are not so apparent. Location based tagging is both a narcissist's and a stalker's dream come true. Be sure and read the rest of the article: Did Someone Ruin Foursquare for Me Yesterday? Brad Feld, Fastcompany.com

03/13/2011

Takeaway: It is a misconception that all introverts are shy. The two are different — an important distinction to understand when you’re considering a leadership position.

The term “introverted” is often used interchangeably with “shy.” This is misleading. Introversion itself is not shyness. Shyness brings with it feelings of nervousness and anxiety. Although an introvert may be shy, it actually means that person is energized by being alone, and is drained by being around other people.

I’m an introvert; my husband is an extrovert. He literally can’t go long without being around a lot of people. It is exactly like a battery charge for him. I, on the other hand, literally get uneasy if I don’t have a period of solitude in every day.

I get frustrated by the faulty definition of introvert. I think it subconsciously makes introverts feel like they could never be leaders because they don’t have the people skills needed. So it was with great glee that I ran across a piece on Forbes.com that put this topic in proper perspective and actually made a case for why introverts make the best leaders. (Little known fact: Introverts make up about 60% of the gifted population but only about 25-40% of the general population.)

My hat’s off to the author of the piece, Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, for outlining the characteristics of introverts that make them great leaders:

They think first, talk later (In other words, they think before they speak.)

They focus on depth. They are drawn to meaningful conversations, not superficial chitchat, and they know how to ask great questions and really listen to the answers.

They exude calm. In times of crisis, they project a reassuring, calm confidence

They prefer writing to talking. This comfort with the written word often helps them better articulate their positions and document their actions.

They embrace solitude. The need to get away from people and recharge actually fuels their thinking, creativity and decision-making and, when the pressure is on, helps them be responsive, not reactive.

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About Jonathan

My
name is Jonathan Hasson and I’m a man on a mission…a mission to
discover as much as I can of the blueprint that God has for me. So far,
the blueprint has held many surprises, some tears and many blessings. It’s
taken me to a place today where I sometimes refer to myself as an
engineer with a creative side hiding inside, dying to escape. That’s
probably an exaggeration...